History

Built in the year 1629, by Caridinal Gerolamo Colonna on the land donated by Pope Urbano VIII Barberini, the newly renovated Villa is a faithful reproduction of the original palace, the work of the architect Antonio Del grande who was also commissioned by the same Cardinal Colonna to build the Duomo di Rocca di Papa and the church of S.Barnaba in Marino.

Already in the past two thousand years, in this place there was a small house that was used a resting place by the Counsels and Pontiffs when they came to celebrate the 'Feriae Latinae' in the Temple of Giove Laziale.

To real jewel of this solitary place is the well-known II century sepulchre of the Età Volgare adorned with consular and pontifical insignians attributed to Gneo Scipione Ispale. Prince Egidio, the third-born son of the Colonna family and the younger brother of Cardinal Gerolamo, began the hospitality of the Villa.

As well as having the noble responsabilities such as ¨Patriarch of Jerusalem' and 'Archbishop of Amasia', he was in the habit of giving numerous feasts in honour of the Pontifical Court of Castel Gandolfo, with which he had organized by means of via Alessandrina, a dense carriage connection.

This gave the possibility to various pontiffs succeeding in the centuries, to be among the most illustrious guests of 'Villa del Cardinale'.

Villa del Cardinale became later one of the best restaurant in Rome and Italy.